Bashir To Travel To Chad

21 July 2010 - (Khartoum) – President Omar al-Bashir will travel to Chad on Wednesday to attend the summit of the Sahel-Saharan states.

This will be the first visit for al-Bashir who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, to a country that recognizes the court’s jurisdiction.

The advisor to the Minister of Information in the Government of Sudan said that Chad, who invited al-Bashir, will not co-operate with the ICC to arrest him.

Dr. Rabie Abdullaati, spoke to SRS from Khartoum on Wednesday.

[Dr. Rabie Abdullaati]: “The good neighborliness between Chad and Sudan is bigger than any other relationship. So I do not think that whether or not Chad is a member of the ICC will affect the invitation of al-Bashir. There are arrangements between the Chadian and Sudanese governments regarding this visit, its importance and the importance of participation of Sudan in the Sahel-Saharan summit in Chad. The main interest is the ties between the neighboring countries and the joint agreements between the two countries. I don’t think either Chad or Sudan will give a consideration to the ICC process. The ICC decision towards Sudan is just ink on paper and no one is cares about it.”

A Sudanese political analyst agrees that despite the fact that Chad is a signatory to Rome statue, it might not take any measures to arrest al-Bashir.

Taj al-Sir Makie spoke to SRS from Khartoum on Wednesday.

[Taj al-Sir Makie]: “For sure al-Bashir will not travel to Chad without a guarantee but it seems that the Chadian president has promised him safety and protection. Although Chad can arrest al-Bashir as a signatory to Rome Statue. But looking at the relationship between Chad and Sudan, the old tension between them and finally reaching an agreement, nothing might happen, and it will be just a problem for Chad with the ICC.”

President al-Bashir is wanted by the ICC for charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur.

Earlier the ICC prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo appealed to all the signatories to the Rome statues to assist in arresting al-Bashir as soon he enters their territory.